Calgary fire crews battled the heat and the cold after a blaze broke out inside a unit at the Midfield Mobile Home Park on 16 Avenue N.E. on Wednesday night.
At just after 6:30 p.m., the fire department was called to the complex for reports that one of the trailers was fully engulfed in flames.
A resident, a man in his 60s, was able to escape, but was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition.
Firefighters were able to knock down the fire, but it was still a challenge given the freezing temperatures and the fact that the flames continued to flare up.
“These conditions make it very difficult for firefighters to perform their duty. Obviously, the weather conditions are very cold and it’s hard on the hands. Also, once we start the flow water, we can’t stop until the operation’s completed,” said Battalion Chief Stu Laird. “Once we stop operation we need to break those connections and drain those hoses because that water will freeze so quickly.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but officials say that there are many fire risks when temperatures are this cold.
The fire department says that people need to be very careful with space heaters and extra electrical plug-ins.
